Feeling a little bored? Looking for new, off-the-beaten-path ways to get creative? Let us help. Here’s a few titles, available as eBooks through Hoopla and OverDrive, to get you started. For even more fun new artsy ideas, check out our new digital resource, Creativebug! Available right now, completely free, with your library card.
How to Draw Sharpie Art by Jessica Mazurkiewicz
(From Hoopla) “Do you have a drawer or bin full of Sharpies that are going to waste? Or do you always want to buy new markers, but never have an excuse to use them? Now you do! How to Draw Sharpie Art has tutorials on all the quick and simple things you can use your Sharpie Marker on. … With easy to follow instructions, this book will show you just how to spruce up an assortment of items DIY style, with a rainbow of Sharpie colors to use, not just black! Learn how to decorate your home, your office, or make gifts for your friends and family.”
A World of Artist Journal Pages by Dawn DeVries Sokol
(From Hoopla) “By nature, art journaling is a private activity. But when Dawn Sokol’s first book, 1000 Artist Journal Pages, broke the fourth wall and shared the work of artists all over North America and parts of Europe, it created a ripple of inspiration throughout the art journaling community. In this much-anticipated follow-up, Sokol features more than 1,000 new, captivating pages, this time-by popular demand-from artists across the globe. Lists of techniques and materials used for each page, plus behind-the-scenes interviews, give readers a glimpse inside the minds of new and established artists, making this a stimulating compilation sure to inspire beginners and seasoned art journalers alike.”
Upcycling Celebrations: A Use-What-You-Have Guide to Decorating, Gift-Giving & Entertaining by Danny Seo
(From OverDrive) “Danny Seo is America’s leading lifestyle authority on modern, eco-friendly living. In his last book, Upcycling, Danny demonstrated how to create beautiful things with the stuff you already have. Now he returns with 100 more projects—this time focused specifically on parties and holidays. Whether you’re making dramatic party favors for New Year’s Eve, giving a unique birthday gift, creating paper lanterns for a summer BBQ, or planning the Thanksgiving table, Danny shows how you can transform the ordinary into striking one-of-a-kind objects that will make every occasion a little more festive.”
Bead-Making Lab: 52 explorations for crafting beads from polymer clay, plastic, paper, stone, wood, fiber, and wire by Heather Powers
(From OverDrive) “Bead-Making Lab is organized by material, and single-spread lab tutorials for each bead design make the book simple to use. The tutorials are brief, accomplishable, and rewarding. Choose from traditional materials like paper mache and polymer clay, or opt for new materials such as resins and shrink plastic. Once you’ve selected your medium, follow the lab instructions for the bead-making technique of your choice. Try a new technique each week! With how-tos including molding, carving, painting, gluing, drilling beach glass and pebbles, and creating fiber-art beads with felting and embroidery, you’ll have a year of unique projects ahead of you. Bead-Making Lab also offers ideas on how to turn your beads into jewelry and gives you a sneak peek at some contemporary bead artisans’ best work. Get busy beading, crafters!”
The Art of Whimsical Lettering by Joanne Sharpe
(From OverDrive) “The Art of Whimsical Lettering is an artful instruction book on creating stylized fonts and expressive artwork with personal handwriting skills. Author Joanne Sharpe shows you how to create exuberant and personalized writing styles for your artwork, whether it be a journal, canvas art, or other projects that use text.
After an overview of Joanne’s favorite tools and surfaces, take a peek into Joanne’s personal lettering journal to discover how you too can collect inspiration, hone your lettering skills, and tap into your natural creativity.”
